Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Pilot Frixion Ball 3 Multi-Pen Studio Ghibli Edition Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

I'm no stranger to the Pilot Frixion pens, but I hadn't tried the multi-pen version of this refill until just recently. While not much different from the regular Acroball multi-pen platform, the Frixion does feature a small friction eraser on the top of the pen. As an added bonus, there's also a unique version of the Ball 3 multi-pen based on the Kiki's Delivery Service film from Studio Ghibli. The pen features a small drawing that shows JiJi, KiKi's familiar. If you've never seen the movie, I highly recommend you check it out. While the original is Japanese, Disney released a re-dubbed version in English in the late 90s.

I have two different versions of the Ball 3 multi-pen, but the only difference aside from the unique Kiki's version on the black pen is the refill tip sizes. The Kiki's version only comes in the 0.5mm size, while the silver pen featured here has 0.38mm refills. Obviously, you can customize these with whatever size refills you want in the future, but this is how they came from the manufacturer. If you love the Kiki's pen but want a smaller or larger refill (or even other colors), you can easily swap them out later.

Now, I've used plenty of Frixion pens in the past, but let's do a quick refresher in case you're new to this unique offering from Pilot. The Frixion is an "erasable" pen that uses the heat caused by friction to erase the special ink. The cool thing is that you can actually cause the ink to reappear if you place the paper in the freezer for a while. This is a great solution for using a pen in applications where you might need to erase, but where you also don't want to use pencil. I don't have any particular need in my use cases, but it's still a really cool trick. Obviously, if you leave your notebook in the sun or throw it in the microwave for a bit, the ink will also disappear since it's activated by heat. Just know that the ink is definitely non-permanent and act accordingly.

Starting with the 0.38mm variant, I'm continually surprised how smooth these hybrid ballpoint inks are. The line is incredibly thin — closer to a 0.25mm line once it's on the page, but it's still incredibly crisp. Despite the thinness of the line, Pilot still managed to make the writing experience really smooth. It does feel a bit like you're writing with a nail, but it still feels smooth if you remember to only apply light pressure on the paper. This isn't a specific thing regarding the Frixion refills, but more of a general rule with micro-tipped pens. In all, it's incredibly smooth considering the size. The colors are vibrant and pop off the page.

Moving on to the 0.5mm, the lines are a little bit larger (similar to a 0.4mm gel pen line) but just as crisp. Given the extra surface area on the tip, it's also quite smoother when writing. To me, 0.5mm is the sweet spot when it comes to the hybrid ballpoint refills. 0.7mm is also great if you want the extra line width, but both are incredibly smooth and fun to use. Again, the colors match up perfectly with the other size refills and feature bold, fun colors.

The bodies on both pens are nearly identical once you factor out the custom Kiki's artwork, but the Kiki's pen does have a larger ridge between the soft grip section and the nose cone of the pen. I'm not sure if this is intentional as part of the custom version for the Kiki's film or if this is just a manufacturing variation, but it's hardly noticeable when using the pen.

The grip section is a nice width and is soft to the touch. There's no "squish" or give on the grip, but the soft feel is very comfortable and easy to control. The plastic bodies are sturdy and feel like they'll survive a pretty rough jumble in a bag. Like the Pilot Acroball, you select ink colors with small push tabs on the top of the pen that are equidistant from each other and the clip. To retract a refill, simply press on a different color tab halfway until the active refills pops back in.

The clip is also similar to the Acroball multi-pen in that it's spring loaded and incredibly sturdy. I really like this clip system, which is also very similar to the Zebra Sarasa Clip, because I can clip these pens anywhere (upside down, for instance) and they just stay put. Multi-pens are intended to be incredibly versatile and utilitarian, and the clip just adds to that usefulness.

In all, the Frixion is just another variant of the excellent Acroball line from Pilot, but with an extra erasable trick up its sleeve. With plenty of color options and tip sizes available, you can customize your multi-pen to suite your every writing need without breaking the bank.

The Kiki's Delivery Service only comes in one color and only with 0.5mm refills installed, but you have so many other options if you go with the standard lineup. The standard 0.38mm version featured in this review is about 10 bucks less than the Kiki's version, and that is likely due to the additional licensing required to use the Kiki's artwork. If you're a fan of the film or book, then it's an excellent choice! If not, the standard Frixion multi-pens are stellar.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on July 31, 2019 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Pilot, FriXion, Multi Pen, Pen Reviews.

Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen Review

I can’t think of a maker that owns a sub-market as thoroughly as Kaweco owns the pocket fountain pen market. It is a Nakaya/urushi level of dominance in my mind.

Sure, there are other amazing pocket pens available - Schon DSGN and Fisher immediately come to mind - but Kaweco does it the best across the board. Entry level, mid-range, high end, plastic, metal, special editions, fountain, ballpoint, pencil - all of it. Who else owns a niche within a niche as thoroughly as they do?

Over the years, I moved from the plastic-bodied Sport models, to the aluminum AL Sport, to the Fireblue Lilliput, to my new favorite model: The Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen. It’s the best of all worlds for what I need in a pocket carry pen.

The Steel Sport features a - wait for it - stainless steel barrel. What is it about stainless steel that I love so much in pens? It tends to land in a barrel weight sweet spot that is heavier than aluminum, and lighter than copper and brass. (Note: There is a ton of brand variance here. Primarily, how much they choose to core out of the barrel to shed weight.) The price point also falls in the middle, usually around the same upgrade price as titanium.

Stainless steel has a density and warmth that I enjoy in a pen barrel. It is also practically indestructible, which is what I want in a pocket pen. Not that I make a habit of running over it with my car, but I know if I toss it in a backpack, or in a pocket with keys, it is going to come out looking the same way as it did when it went into one of those locations.

And it is going to work immediately when I uncap it. That is what Kaweco has perfected. Style on its own is fine, but without performance you don’t have a product. I never have to worry about any Kaweco fountain pen giving me an issue when I uncap it and want to write.

As you may have noticed in the pictures, I swapped out the stock Kaweco Steel nib for a modified 14k gold Kaweco nib. It started life as a B nib, but now lives as a stub, and it is glorious. For all of the Kaweco fountain pens I own, I have two or three nibs I swap out between them. This started years ago when their nib quality control was subpar, but they have righted the ship on that front. The stock steel EF nibs I have received in the past year have been perfect right out of the box, so don’t hesitate to go with your preferred nib size if and when you buy one.

This setup is me. That’s what I look for in a writing experience. Maybe the stock offering is a perfect match - which happens frequently - but if I can upgrade the barrel, swap out the nib, and toss in a fun ink color (in this case, Graf von Faber-Castell Deep Sea Green,) then I am living my best analog life.

Kaweco pens are not for everybody. They require a different mindset than a traditional fountain pen. If you are interested, I suggest starting with one of the Classic or Sport models to see if the size and shape works for you. Those are some of my most used Kaweco pens, in fact. If that works well, then beware the rabbit hole of Kaweco goodness that awaits.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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*Stainless Steel family, from L to R: Kaweco Liliput, Steel Sport, Ajoto Sunset, Modern Fuel Mechanical Pencil*

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Kaweco, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Lamy Aion Fountain Pen in Red Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Lamy Aion is a relatively new offering from the German brand, and I've been pretty slow about getting my hands on one. Now that I have one of these new pens in the fantastic red color, I can understand why I've seen so much about them. This pen doesn't replace any other pen in the Lamy line-up — but rather creates a new aesthetic offering in the Lamy Studio price-point.

After using this pen quite a bit, I've come to think of it as a more modern and sleeker AL Star. The pen is made entirely of aluminum, and it's roughly the same size as the less-expensive cousin. The aluminum is lightweight, but also feels incredibly durable. In places where the AL Star can feel somewhat thin and delicate, this is a welcome change. Like every other Lamy, the cap is a friction fit snap system. The motion of uncapping and capping the pen is satisfying. It requires enough pressure to operate that you won't be concerned about this pen uncapping itself in a pocket or bag when it's jostled around. Capping the pen has an equally satisfying ker-thunk as well.

The cap feels like it's weighted on the top end, giving the pen a top heavy feel when it's capped. However, when posted, this extra weight at the top of the pen provides a nice amount of balance to the nib when you're writing. The pen barrels fits into more than half of the cap, which is a good thing since this is a fairly long pen to begin with. When posted, it becomes almost too long.

There's also a new clip system for the Aion. Borrowing from the 2000, the Aion clip is spring-loaded, giving it excellent grip on pockets and bags. It's a very smooth motion and has a secure feel. I'm really impressed with this clip system and really with the Studio used something similar, as the Studio can be somewhat difficult to clip onto things.

The aluminum materials are quite nice on the Aion. According to the marketing literature, the barrel and cap are made of single pieces of aluminum. This gives them a high-quality, seamless feel that adds to the luxury of the pen. The barrel and cap are both brushed on the surface, which adds an interesting visual detail and a pleasing texture. The grip, on the other hand, is also made of aluminum, but has a blasted surface, resulting a smoother but still textured feel. The difference in texture also sets it apart visually from the barrel.

In almost every Lamy I've used (aside from the hooded 2000, of course), they use the same nib system, making it easy to swap and exchange nibs whenever you like. In an interesting departure, the Aion uses a unique nib shape, meaning you can't swap it with you other Lamy nibs. This is a bit disappointing since that's a major perk of the Lamy fountain pen system. The marketing literature explains this change as a decision to make the nib line up with the modern design of the Aion, but I don't think the Aion nib differs enough from the regular nibs to justify the unique fitting. They could have used the same standard Lamy nib without decreasing the modern aesthetic. Let's face it — all of Lamy's designs are fairly modern. That makes this nib change feel a bit off. Even the slightly-more-expensive Studio uses the common Lamy nibs.

Nib design choices aside, I've been incredibly happy with how it performs on paper. The nib is stainless steel and is as hard as a nail on the EF unit. The line is makes is consistent, thin, and sharp. Being as stiff as it is, there's absolutely no flex unless you apply enough pressure to also cut through the page. This nib is perfect for writing small and making exact marks. The orange ink (by the way, have I broken some unspoken rule by putting Kaweco ink in a Lamy pen??) compliments the red body perfectly, but flows out as smoothly as you can expect on such a fine nib.

The grip section may look smooth, but the blasted finish creates a fine and grippy texture that you can't see with the naked eye. When writing, I've had no trouble holding on to the pen through long writing sessions. Unlike the super-smooth grip of the Studio, the grip on the Aion is exception. The slow taper down toward the nib is also beneficial for gripping the pen. In all, this is an incredibly comfortable pen to use given the width and length of the barrel and the light weight of the pen. The textured grip just makes it even better.

You can certainly post the cap when writing with the Aion, and this will almost always come down to personal preference. It's already a "standard-size" pen, so I'd say posting isn't necessary. That said, the extra weight in the cap does change up the balance of the nib when writing, and I've actually really enjoyed it. If only the overall size of the pen wasn't so long in this configuration, I'd probably use it more. For me, the most comfortable position is unposted, but I've enjoyed playing around with the pen with the cap posted just for the novelty of feeling the balance thrown further back on my hand when writing. I assume this would be a great benefit for larger hands or higher grips (I have "medium" hands and a fairly low three-finger grip).

The new Lamy Aion comes in at just over $70. For that price, you get one free Lamy blue cartridge and a converter. The converter is definitely a nice touch and contributes to the premium feel of this pen. All together, the Aion is a premium Lamy fountain pen that offers an alternative to the heavier and more classic Studio option. While the Studio does offer some nicer finishes and gold nibs in the higher range, the "base" Studio compares directly in price to the Aion. This is great for buyers because you can pick from two excellent pens purely by which aesthetic speaks to you more. The $75-100 range for fountain pens is always a bit awkward as far as value goes, but I think the Aion manages to justify its price tag with the elegant aluminum materials, high-quality cap design, and great writing experience.

There are four color options available for the Lamy Aion: Red, Dark Blue, Olive Silver, and Black. All four color ways offer extra fine, fine, and medium nib options, while the Black and Olive Silver colors offer broad as well.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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